Prey
by cbrendible
Summary: A story of tragedy that tears apart destined friendships, and a love that would overcome all obstacles. Rated MA for future chapters and just to be on the safe side. Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Rumiko Takahashi's expert genius.


**Chapter One - The Beginning**

In the middle of the forest, a woman scavenges for nourishment not knowing that she was being watched. The scents of prey wafts towards the predators' nose on a weak wind making him smile a toothy grin. He knows this scent, which brings him more pleasure. As he edges closer, the woman's head perks up as if a deer scenting danger. The predator stalks closer to his prey, comfortable in knowing that the woman can't possibly know he is there when a voice cuts across the slight breeze, quiet yet loud to the predator's ears.

"What do you want?" the woman asks nervously in a soft voice.

The predator remains quiet as if believing that the woman was just superstitious and called out into the empty surrounding to reassure herself nothing was there, but it's to no avail as the sound of the woman's soft, pleasant voice reaches his ears once again.

"I know you're there, so you might as well make yourself known," she says while turning to look in the predator's direction. "What do you want, Lord Sesshomaru?"

The surprise Sesshomaru feels at this woman's high sense was enough to render him part way speechless. To think, a mere human woman able to sense the presence of the Great Lord Sesshomaru, the Killing Perfection, was astounding.

"If you're just going to stand there and stare, I'm leaving," the irritation plain in her voice as she turns and grabs her prized game and walks off towards a river.

"Why are you alone?" his voice sounds out through the darkness at the edge of the clearing.

Kagome stops in her retreat and looks over her shoulder. "Why would it concern you, Lord Sesshomaru?" she answers with a question of her own and continues on her way.

The anger coursing through him at this humans audacity causes him to act on instinct and charge at her retreating back. _How dare this human speak to him in such a way_, he thought as his claws reach out. At the last second, the human ducks and sends a sweeping kick towards his legs.

He lands on his back in the dirt with a bewildered expression on his features. Kagome looks down at him for a moment and walks away again, saying over her shoulder, "I don't want to fight you, but I will kill you if you come at me again."

Sesshomaru gets up after she disappears wondering when the Miko became so calculated and cold. She was such a warm creature when they first met - forbidding Inuyasha and himself from gruesome battles when their packs crossed paths - and, now, she seems more distant from everything and everyone else.

No matter, he thought and walks away in the opposite direction from which the Miko, Kagome, took.

* * *

**A fortnight ago...**

"INUYASHA, SIT!"

A loud thud could be heard from a mile away cuing any and every creature within vicinity to keep away. It was a sound which all creatures knew when something terrifying was happening.

"Dammit, Kagome, what was that for?" the crater spoke.

"What was it for? WHAT WAS IT FOR?" the question repeated with such venom that the hanyou that was about to climb out of the perfectly shaped crater ducked right back in as if taking cover from a bomb. "I'll tell you what it's for! It's for being a baka half-breed. You have no right to tell me what I can and can't do."

"But, Kagome -" he tries, but fails miserably, to explain. Instead, Inuyasha looks over to their friends who had the good sense to back off when this whole thing started brewing up.

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo along with Kirara stood off to the side, each with 'I told you so' expressions. They knew what was going to happen when Kagome decided she wanted to go home for a little while for a break. When it started, they wisely kept quiet and waited for the inevitable baka-Yasha's idiocy in trying to keep Kagome from leaving.

Attention was brought back to the little ona seething at the hanyou when she spoke up again. "Don't you 'but, Kagome-' me! I'm tired of your over-protectiveness and petty jealousies and insecurities. You have no right!"

With that, she stalks off towards a denser part of the surrounding forest to blow off some steam leaving a speechless Inuyasha still in his crater and their friends all shaking their heads.


End file.
